Veteran actors talk about evolution of NSD’s Repertory Company

Bollywood: The Repertory Company, a prestigious ensemble of the National School of Drama (NSD), is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a 17-day theatre festival from August 23 to September 9. 

The festival features performances of plays such as Samudra Manthan, Maee Ri Mai Kaise Kahun, Laila Majnu, Andha Yug, Babuji, and Taj Mahal Ka Tender, among others. In addition, discussions will be held with actors including Saurabh Shukla, Himani Shivpuri, Anang Desai, Piyush Mishra, and Dolly Ahluwalia.

An Illustrious Past

On the inaugural day, the event attracted a gathering of film and television actors who graduated from the institute and trained with the Repertory Company. Veteran actors such as Ram Gopal Bajaj, Himani Shivpuri, Govind Namdev, Pratima Kannan, Anang Desai, and Zakir Hussain were among those present.

The actors reflected on their time at the Repertory Company with nostalgia, discussing how their careers have been shaped by their experiences there.

Bajaj, who began performing in Repertory plays from the group’s inception in 1964, shared, “The Repertory Company was founded by four artists—Ramamurthy, Meena Williams, Sudha Shivpuri, and Om Shivpuri. At that time, we were juniors, still pursuing our graduation at NSD. We performed in plays together since the company was newly established and had few performers.”

The 84-year-old veteran Bollywood filmmaker and academic noted that the Repertory Company began attracting more students in the 1970s. “In my batch, including Repertory students, there were only seven initially. Later, the number increased to twelve,” he explained.

“In May 1967, NSD and the Repertory Company held a festival that we attended as students. I returned as a faculty member in 1977, by which time the Repertory had grown to about 20 artistes,” he added. Bajaj served as the Repertory chief from 1988 to 1994.

He fondly remembered that many politicians were avid theatre-goers during his NSD days. “I recall participating in Ebrahim Alkazi’s play, Andha Yug, which was attended by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at Feroz Shah Kotla Fort.”

“Others like LK Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Sheila Dikshit used to visit various theatres to watch plays,” he said.

Reflecting on the past, Bajaj observed, “There were no set limits on the duration of training and employment, and many artists worked in the Repertory for six to ten years. Nowadays, contracts are limited to eleven months, with renewals thereafter.”

Bajaj expressed concern about the future of the artists. “If they wish to continue with the Repertory, facilities have decreased compared to the past. The government needs to intervene,” he urged.

A cradle of ace performers

Veteran Hindi film actor Himani Shivpuri told Patriot that NSD and the Repertory Company’s rigorous training has been instrumental in her acting career.

Shivpuri added that she had the opportunity to work with top-class actors and directors during her tenure at the Repertory.

“I remember BM Shah was our director then. I did my first play with BV Karanth, a former NSD director, under his direction in a play called Vidya Sundar. Later, I also worked with MK Raina on Cherry Orchard and performed the same play with Canadian actor Richard Shatner,” she said.

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She credits her seniors for her entry into Bollywood. “Watching the plays and work of senior actors like Uttara Baokar at the Repertory Company made me a better actor in the film industry,” she said.

“I got to portray different characters on stage and worked with great directors like Ebrahim Alkazi. I spent over ten years with the Repertory,” said Shivpuri, who was with the company until 1989.

Actor Govind Namdev described his years at NSD as golden. “I worked with top actors and directors of Bollywood, which established my presence in the industry. The Repertory taught me how to tackle challenges and make my performances impactful,” he said.

“The training here is professional and thorough. We learn how to perform on stage, speak, act, and deliver a perfect performance,” he recalled.

76-year-old film and TV actor Pratima Kannan shared that she was selected by a nine-member jury of the Repertory Company. “I used to do a lot of theatre in Delhi. My seniors advised me to apply to the Repertory Company. Although I was nervous, I was selected based on my work,” she said.

“I played the lead role of Bernarda in The House of Bernarda Alba, which taught me the value of graduating from NSD,” she added.

Anang Desai, known for his role in the TV serial Khichdi, discussed his professional growth at the Repertory Company. “I spent about nine years there. It provided me with a deep understanding of professionalism. We had an excellent team, including batchmates like Rajat Kapoor and MK Raina,” he said.

Desai also noted the expansion of the institute’s infrastructure. “I hope new students continue to learn and that NSD keeps producing outstanding actors,” he added.

Actor Zakir Hussain expressed his appreciation for his time at the Repertory. “I played wonderful roles, such as Albert Einstein, during my training. One has to be here to truly experience the environment that helps in becoming a good actor,” he added.

Cultivating tomorrow’s stars

Current students have expressed their enthusiasm for their learning experience.

“We are being trained to handle any challenge on stage and perform multiple plays in a day, which enhances our capabilities,” said Shazia Batool, a Repertory artiste.